


A Way Home

by Whov1an562



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-03-24 11:28:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13810254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whov1an562/pseuds/Whov1an562
Summary: Sixteen year old Aubrey Posen knows it isn't safe for her to stay home anymore. Stacie is the only person she can turn to.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to Kay

Aubrey was ecstatic. Finally, after three months on an exchange in France, Stacie was coming home. Back to Barden Academy. Her plane had got in that morning, so Aubrey was going to try and drop by her house after school, since she’d missed her girlfriend. A lot.

She was sat next to Chloe. They were in a maths class that had felt like it had been going on forever.

“You excited?” Chloe whispered.

“Ssh!” Aubrey smiled a little, since she was. Very excited. But no one knew about her and Stacie except for their four best friends, who’d sworn to secrecy. Aubrey couldn’t risk her father knowing.

***

Twenty minutes later, the class still wasn’t over, when Aubrey saw a very familiar face at the side of the door. She broke out into a grin. No one else had noticed.

Stacie tilted her head to the side slightly, mouthing “Come on!”

“Erm, please may I go to the restroom ma’am?” she asked her teacher.

Her teacher nodded, not really paying much attention. She stood up, slid out the door and was grabbed by the hand by Stacie who took the two of them to the bathroom down the corridor. “I’ve missed you so, so much,” Stacie exclaimed wrapping herself around Aubrey as they shut the bathroom door behind them.

“You don’t know how good it feels to be in your arms again…” Aubrey said, as the two of them loosened their grip around each other, looking into each other’s eyes. “How come you’re back?”

“My mum went to work so I snuck out,” Stacie said grinning. “I have missed you so, SO much. I couldn’t wait another day…”

Stacie was silenced by Aubrey pushing her against the wall and passionately kissing her. After a few moments, Stacie turned them around so that Aubrey was against the wall. Stacie slid her hand into Aubrey’s hair as Aubrey’s leg found its way between hers as she moaned into her mouth. Stacie deepened the kiss, slipping her tongue further into Aubrey’s mouth, when the door burst open, to reveal a shocked ninth grader standing in the door, who quickly pulled the door back, running away in embarrassment.

“Fucking, fucking shit…” Aubrey said, her quickly weakening hands flying up to her mouth. 

“Do you think she noticed…?” Stacie asked, biting her lip.

“WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU MEAN DO YOU THINK SHE NOTICED? OF COURSE SHE NOTICED!” Aubrey said, taking three steps back, her hands flying up to her head.

“Do you think she’ll tell anyone?” Stacie asked quietly.

“IN THIS SCHOOL? IN THIS COMMUNITY? I WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED IF EVERYONE KNOWS BY THIS EVENING!”

Stacie’s face creased up, knowing Aubrey wanted it kept under wraps. “Maybe she’ll forget…”

“No she won’t,” Aubrey whispered passive aggressively, pacing up and down the bathroom. “Stace… what are we gonna do? My dad can’t find out… he’s been so bad recently… he can’t find a job, and he’s tried but he can’t find anyone to look after me… I think he’s missing the army...”

“Would it be really, really bad if he found out?” Stacie whispered. “Is he still drinking a lot?” Stacie had received calls and texts from a scared Aubrey at various points on her exchange, when her father had got drunk and gone off on a drunken rage. She wasn’t sure what went on… but she knew that nothing had been okay in Aubrey’s house since her mother had died seven months ago.

“Yeah. You don’t know what he’d do to me Stace…” Aubrey bit her lip immediately afterwards, regretting what she’d said.

“What would he do?” Stacie asked.

“I need to get back to class…” Aubrey said, walking out the room, leaving Stacie standing there worried and confused. “Go back home. You’ll be in trouble if your mom finds out you’re not home.”

 

***

Aubrey was sitting at her desk, doing her homework late that night, when she heard the front door slam.

She sat quietly, not wanting to bring attention to herself. She held her breath as she heard him get closer and closer to her door. A few seconds later, he burst in.

"How well do you know Stacie Conrad?" Aubrey felt her heart stop. How could he know? She knew he might have found out eventually, but how did it get out so quickly? Unless... shit. She remembered. The kid who'd caught her with Stacie in the bathroom's father went to the pub quite regularly, and must have spoken to her father.

"We're... friends..." she said, choosing her words carefully.

"How good?"

"We hang out... she's in my group..."

Aubrey watched as her father got so close that she could smell the alcohol on his breath. "How much?"

"We have algebra together... and French class... and art, and music..." Aubrey knew she was stuttering. She quickly drew in a breath as her father grabbed the collar of her shirt, pulling her up out of her chair.

"Stop avoiding the question. Did you," he asked slowly, enunciating and spitting on Aubrey's face a little, "Did you, or did you not kiss Stacie Conrad earlier today?"

Aubrey shook her head as she gulped, her heart rate increasing even further.

"DON'T LIE TO ME," he shouted as he struck Aubrey across the face. "I DID NOT BRING YOU UP TO LIE. DID YOU KISS STACIE CONRAD?"

“YOU DIDN’T BRING ME UP,” Aubrey screamed back, angry that he was dishonouring the memory of her mother.

“I WILL ASK YOU ONE MORE TIME,” he screamed, walking backwards as he slammed Aubrey against the wall, still clinging to the collar of her shirt. “DID YOU, OR DID YOU NOT KISS STACIE CONRAD?”

"Yes..." Aubrey winced slightly as she grabbed onto her father’s hand, trying to get him off. "WE KISSED! DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?" she asked, starting to feel more anger boil inside of her as well as fear.

He pushed her forcefully onto the ground. She tried to get up, but was met with a hard kick in the stomach. “YOU ARE NOT TO TALK TO THAT GIRL AGAIN, OR THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”

“YOU CAN’T STOP ME FROM SEEING HER,” Aubrey screamed as her father kicked in the stomach again, this time keeping his foot pressed down hard, not moving despite Aubrey’s best efforts to get away.

“Both of you will regret it if you continue,” he snarled.

“I SWEAR IF YOU HURT HER-”

“YOU’LL WHAT?” he yelled, pushing further, to be met with silence. “I thought as much,” he said smugly.

“GONNA BE… sick…” Aubrey cried. “You’re gonna leave a mark. And if you leave a mark, then they’re gonna find out what you’re doing to me…”

Aubrey’s father took his foot away, turning around. “I don’t want to see you until morning.”

Lying still on the floor, her pain getting worse by the second, once Aubrey was sure he was gone, she crawled over to her bed, and wincing, climbed up. She couldn’t face anything else that night.


	2. Chapter 2

Aubrey groaned as she came around the next morning. She put her hand up to her face, gasping slightly as she felt it sting. She stood up, wincing as she saw her pillow which had dried blood on it from where her father had punched her jaw the night before, and walked over to the mirror. She sighed as she saw her face. There was bruising along her jawline where her father had smacked her round the head the night before. She lifted up her top a little to see her bruised side he had kicked her when he was on the floor. She sighed, taking her top off followed by the rest of her clothes before grabbing her towel and going into her bathroom, using a chair to jam the door handle. She didn’t want to risk her father coming in.

After stepping out the shower and getting changed into her clothes, she picked up her phone which she hadn’t touched since the night before. She was surprised to see 12 messages from Stacie and 6 missed calls.

_______________________________

Stacie, 10.47  
Is everything okay Bree? Xxx

Stacie, 10.58  
Did he find out??

Missed call from Stacie, 23.01  
Missed call from Stacie, 23.02

Stacie, 10.02  
Bree please pick up

Stacie, 10.05  
I’m freaking out Bree are you okay??

Missed call from Stacie, 23.16

Stacie, 11.36  
PLEASE PICK UP XXXXXXXXX

Stacie, 11.42  
CHLOE SAID SHE HASN’T SPOKEN TO YOU EITHER

Stacie, 11.43  
BREE HAS ANYTHING HAPPENED?? Xxxxxx

Stacie, 12.05  
PLEASE CALL ME AS SOON AS YOU GET THIS

Missed call from Stacie, 00.26  
Missed call from Stacie, 00.32

Stacie, 12.09  
BREE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT XXXXXX

Stacie, 12.11  
ARE YOU STILL AWAKE

Stacie, 12.26  
Call me during the night if you need to xxxxxx Love you so much xxxxxxx

Missed call from Stacie, 06.57

Stacie, 07.01  
Idk when you’re going to get this, or if you’re okay, but call me as soon as you get this. Don’t worry about eating. Just get out the house asap. Jess, Kelsey and I are coming as soon as you’re up. We’ve got breakfast. We can just stay in the car until school starts. Call me when you’re awake xxxxxxxx  
_____________________________________

Aubrey smiled a little bit, but she felt guilty from putting Stacie through this.

______________________  
Aubrey, 07.03  
I’m ready when you are. Love you so much xxxxxxxxx  
______________________

Aubrey grabbed her stuff and put it into her bag. She sighed, knowing that she hadn’t finished her music paper, but she felt sick with pain. She couldn’t do anything now.

She took concealer and, wincing slightly, put it over her bruise and her cut, even though it stung. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to come up with a logical excuse for why her face had a cut on it, so it would be easier to make it look like bad skin.

She saw her phone light up.

_________________  
Stacie, 07.08  
We’re here outside xxx  
_________________

Aubrey smiled as she creeped out, not wanting to disturb her father. She shut the door as quietly as she could, before quickly jumping to the car before her father came out and tried to stop her, getting in next to Stacie who was in the back seat and quietly shutting the door.

Before addressing Jessica and her sister Kelsey in the front, Aubrey looked at Stacie in the eye for a moment before leaning in so that Stacie could wrap her arms around Aubrey. “Sorry. Had an argument with my dad… it was a bit awkward…”

“It’s our pleasure,” Kelsey said as she drew away, Jessica nodding in agreement before turning back round to face the front.

“You have NOTHING to apologise for,” Stacie whispered, knowing that her girlfriend was lying, or at least under-exaggerating, wrapping her arms a little further around her.

“Ouch,” Bree gasped, sucking in air through her teeth as Stacie brushed against her bruise.

Stacie, looking up at Aubrey to gain permission by eye contact as she tucked her hand under the hem of Aubrey’s jumper.

Aubrey blinked, looking in Stacie’s eyes, letting her know that she could look, too tired and too in pain to fight back. She was pretty sure that Stacie knew anyway.

Stacie gently lifted it up, carefully not letting Jessica or her sister see, her expression turning to one of horror when she saw the large purple mark on Aubrey’s side. “Bree…” she whispered, letting it go down.

“Ssh,” Aubrey said, her finger flying up to her mouth, her head shaking vigorously, before Stacie nodded reluctantly, putting her arms back around Aubrey again, cradling her as she gently kissed her forehead. She sighed as she saw the cut on Aubrey’s face that she’d tried to fix with concealer.

“Is everything okay with your dad Bree?” Jessica asked, passing Aubrey and Stacie each a bacon sandwich.

“Yeah, it’s fine, thanks,” Aubrey said brightly. “We just had an argument. About nothing really. That’s all. Erm, how’s Fiona?” Aubrey asked, trying to divert the attention away from herself, and onto Jessica’s many siblings which she would always talk about.

“Fiona’s doing okay thanks…” Jessica started, talking about her family.

As she talked, Stacie held Aubrey in her arms, gently rubbing her back. She didn’t know what was gonna happen. She didn’t know if Aubrey was going to be safe. And Aubrey wasn’t gonna let her tell anyone. She needed to think of something... a way to save Aubrey before she got hurt any more...


	3. Chapter 3

Aubrey was in a music class with Stacie and Ashley. Their teacher was coming around and collecting the papers that they had to do for homework. “Aubrey?” she asked coldly, holding out her hand standing by her desk.

“I’m really sorry Ma’am, I don’t have it…”

“Do you have a reason or a note from home?”

Aubrey shook her head, maintaining eye contact.

“Why did you not complete it?”

“I’m sorry Ma’am, I forgot,” she said, apologetically but confidently.

“You need to spend less time on your phone in the evenings, and more time working,” the teacher said, returning to her desk. “This is the second time this month you’ve forgotten it Aubrey. Detention after school, and I shall be writing an email to your father.”

Aubrey nodded, avoiding looking at Stacie, who was trying to get eye contact with her from across the room.

“That’s not fair Miss Smith,” Stacie blurted out.

The teacher turned around to look at Stacie, her lips pursed and eyebrows raised. “Who says YOU have any say on the matter, Miss Conrad?”

“LEAVE IT,” Aubrey mouthed to Stacie, shaking her head slightly.

“I’ll let you go this one time, Miss Conrad. I don’t expect to see such behaviour again, from either of you. Class dismissed.”

Aubrey picked up her bag, walking straight out the classroom. She felt the eyes of the people in the corridor turn towards her as she walked out, her bag slung over her shoulder. She was worried that everyone would know about her and Stacie by now. Maybe they didn’t care. Or maybe kid who’d caught her had only told her dad so far. She wasn’t sure. Maybe they’d noticed the mark on her face. Or her frustration. Maybe they just weren’t looking at her at all. She shook her head as she started to run. No. That wasn’t going to work. It hurt too much. She was trying to make it through a crowd of people when someone tripped her up. She wasn’t sure if it was on purpose. She heard Stacie call her name from behind. 

“AUBREY!” Stacie grabbed Aubrey’s hand and slid an arm around her chest, avoiding her bruised side, helping to lift her up. Aubrey turned around and looked at her eyes briefly, feeling the eyes of everyone on her, before she slipped through the crowd.

She slid round the side of the building once she was outside, going around to the back of the building to find the rather more hidden spot that she usually sat in with her best friends, curling up into a ball. She didn’t want anyone to see her.

She sighed as she heard Stacie slip in through the gap. “Bree…” she said, sitting down next to her. This had been the first moment that they’d had just the two of them all day.

“You don’t want to talk to me right now,” Aubrey said. “I keep pushing you away.”

“I’m here. I don’t care. I just want to talk to you.”

“You haven’t… told anyone right?” Aubrey whispered anxiously.

Stacie shook her head. “Does anyone else know? Does CHLOE know?”

Aubrey shook her head. “You’re the only one I can trust. I would tell Chloe, but I can’t… she’d make me tell someone…”

“You don’t think that I’M not gonna tell you to tell someone?”

“Please, don’t. I’ve got nowhere to go. I don’t have any extended family that I know of… but everyone I know is here… I don’t want to go to someone’s house that I don’t know, or go into some sort of home… I’m sixteen. I’ve got a year and two months until I can get out of that house. But I don’t know what would happen if I told someone. I don’t know where I’d go.”

 

Stacie sighed. “What’s gonna happen to you if he hurts you so badly that you’re properly injured?”

“I don’t know… anyway, he knows about you now. If this is all he’s gonna do to me… I should be fine.

“How long has this been going on for?”

“It first happened like a month after my mom died, but he only started doing it on a regular basis like three months ago.”

“Was this before I left?”

Aubrey shook her head. “No. The week after.”

Stacie put her head in her hands. “I never should have gone…”

“This is NOT your fault Stace…” Aubrey remarked.

“Sorry,” Stacie said, composing herself. This wasn’t her moment to be upset. “Didn’t you feel like you could talk to me?”

Aubrey shook her head. “I wouldn’t have told anyone. He hasn’t done anything like last night before. He kicked me so hard Stace…”

Aubrey gave up trying to stay strong, letting Stacie cradle her in her arms once again. “I don’t understand how he could do that to you Bree…”

“I don’t feel safe… anywhere…”

“You can feel safe now. I’d never hurt you Bree. I just want to get my driver’s licence so we can get in a car and drive somewhere far, far away from here…”

“We’d just have to go back,” Aubrey sighed. “It’d be pointless.”

 

Stacie felt anger boiling inside her again. She didn’t understand it. How someone could hurt their own child, let alone Bree?

She wrapped her arms even further around her girlfriend. She hated seeing her so vulnerable. There are few people who can get through the walls that Aubrey Posen had built up around herself but she was one of them. She gently pressed her lips to Aubrey’s forehead.

“I love you,” she whispered. “Also, I brought sandwiches for lunch for just in case you don’t want to go to the canteen.”

Aubrey smiled a little more as she rested her head on Stacie. At least someone was looking out for her.

“You don’t have to do this alone.”

“What can you do?” Aubrey asked, knowing that unless she spoke to someone then there was nothing that could be done.

“I’ll think about it,” Stacie replied. “I assume murder’s not an option…”

Aubrey sat up, looking at Stacie and rolled her eyes. “No, Stacie. Murder ISN’T an option.”

“In that case…” Stacie thought for a second. “Can you come live with me?”

Aubrey shook her head. “There’s no way my dad or your mom are gonna let that happen…”

“Could I hide under your table or something and catch him in the act?”

 

“No. He’ll just figure out why you’re there straight away, and then he’ll just hurt me even more as soon as you’re gone. It would be our word against his.”

Stacie sighed. Aubrey had done nothing to deserve this. NO ONE could do anything to deserve this. “How about… erm… you run away? Or lock yourself in your room?”

“No… it wouldn’t work… I’ll just have to come back again…”

“Can’t we just tell someone?” Stacie asked

Aubrey shook her head vigorously. “No. I’m just gonna have to put up with it for a bit longer. I can do this. I’m strong enough.”

“Until what though? What’s gonna happen? Are you gonna wait ‘til he does something so bad you can’t walk anymore? Can you stop being so stubborn for a second and let someone help?”

Aubrey turned away. “I shouldn’t have told you…”

Stacie hit her head with her hand. “Look, Bree, I promise I won’t tell anyone unless I’m scared you’re ACTUALLY dead or with me when we say something. But please keep talking to me.”

Aubrey sighed, turning back around. “Okay. Just please don’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t,” Stacie agreed reluctantly. “Shit,” she exclaimed, looking at her phone. “I’ve got a dentist appointment. My mum’s in the parking lot. Lunch,” she said reaching into her bag and passing a wrapped foil sandwich as well as a packet of crisps to Aubrey. “Call me later. And tell me if anything happens… Don’t let him hurt you. I love you,” she said pecking Aubrey on the cheek and running off, shutting her rucksack as she went.

Aubrey sighed as she got out her phone. She looked at her messages.

_________________________________  
GC: <3 <3 <3

Chloe, 1.12  
Bree? Stacie? Where are you guys??

Jessica, 1.12  
We went out to the field do you guys want to come?

Ashley 1.13  
Stacie’s at the dentist’s, remember??

Beca 1.14  
Will u hurry tf up Chloe won’t quit complaining  
She loves you more than me

Chloe 1.14  
I love you two equally

Beca 1.14  
I’M YOUR GIRLFRIEND

Chloe 1.15  
BREE’S BEEN MY BEST FRIEND SINCE WE WERE THREE  
SHE’S BASICALLY MY SISTER

Ashley 1.15  
Fair enough tbh  
___________________________________

Aubrey laughed a little as she read the messages.

_________________________________  
GC: <3 <3 <3

Aubrey, 1.18  
I’m coming to find you guys, stay there  
________________________________

 

At least I have my friends, Aubrey thought to herself as she stood up and went to find them. They were more like a family to her than any family she had.


	4. Chapter 4

After detention, Aubrey arrived back home, knowing her father wouldn’t be home. He’d been covering five days a week at the local corner shop for a few weeks whilst Miss Jennings, the usual tillwoman was on maternity leave.

She sighed in a relieved manner as she sat down, getting out her homework. Just in case her father found out about detention (him wanting her to have a spotless record), she decided to get her homework out of the way with as soon as possible.

***

“AUBREY, COME DOWN,” her father shouted once he’d been back 10 minutes.

Aubrey felt shivers down her spine as she crept down the stairs.

 

“I talked to Mrs Bunton next door, and she said that she noticed a large bruise on your leg last week. How short was the clothing that you were wearing?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Not very,” Aubrey replied, crossing her arms.

“Why were you wearing clothes that would purposely shame me? Are you trying to ruin my reputation? Is this one of your sneaky little ways of trying to assert your dominance over me?”

Aubrey shook her head, her expression turning to one of confusion. “When have I been trying to… what was it… assert my dominance?”

“I’m fed up of your lip. You talk back to everything and everyone. For example, only a few minutes ago, I received an email from your teacher saying that you were in trouble for not doing your homework, and trying to get out of it.”

“What do you mean?” Aubrey responded.

“I have it written there. On the email,” he snarled, pointing at the computer, standing on his feet. “She asked if everything was okay at home, since this was the second time that you’ve forgotten it this month. You need to STOP putting yourself in positions where people feel like they have the permission to try and stick their noses into our private lives. It’s not fair on THEM, and it’s not fair on ME. I don’t need that kind of attention right now. There’s enough gossip going around this town. I don’t want them talking about ME due to one of YOUR mistakes. That’s your SCHOOL concerned now.”

Aubrey’s heart began to greatly increase in speed, as she felt her legs begin to tremble. “Stop blaming me for everything that goes wrong. Maybe, if you were to review the way that we settle disagreements or whatever the issues that we have are, then people would stop commenting on it.”

“You are in NO position to be talking to me like that Aubrey. Can you EXPLAIN to me why you didn’t get your ASSIGNMENT in?” he asked, his voice quickly angering, digging his fingernails into Aubrey’s shoulders as he shoved her against the wall.

“As you s-said… I d-didn’t get my assignment in on time…” Aubrey whispered, starting to tremble a lot.

“Why?” he growled, pushing Aubrey further into the wall.

“I was too tired…”

“LIAR!” he screamed again, kicking Aubrey hard in the shin.

“I felt too sick,” she whispered.

“STOP LYING TO ME,” he screamed again, kicking her even harder just underneath her knee, causing her to feel so unsteady that she couldn’t stand up properly, being held up solely by the force that her father was applying to her shoulders. “You can’t stand up?”

Aubrey shook her head, struggling to breathe properly. He let her drop to the floor so that she was lying sideways against the wall before he proceeded to kick her in several places along her ribs and her stomach.

“Was it because of Stacie Conrad?” he asked quietly.

Aubrey shook her head, trying to stop herself from fainting or breaking down even more.

“Why didn’t you finish it?”

“I- I, I…” Aubrey shook her head, not finding the strength to say anything else.

He glared at her, kicking her in the chest, before walking to the other side of the room, turning away. “Don’t, and I mean DON’T forget to do it again.”

Aubrey, using the wall for support, pushed herself up and stumbled up the stairs, into her room, shutting her door behind her.

She knew she couldn’t stay there any longer.

She took her school bag and emptied out the contents, putting some clothes in the bag as well as her phone, her charger and the picture of her mother that she kept by her bed. She took her wallet and put that in there as well, along with her makeup bag, just in case she needed to cover up her bruises. She put on her coat, doing up the zip.

She heard her father go in the bathroom, so limping, unable to bend her knee because of the angle at which her father had kicked her, she slid out the door being careful not to let him hear.

Her legs were shaking with fright and anxiety, as well as with pain. She arrived at the bus stop, and waited for the bus to come.

Eventually it came, and while trying to stand up straight so that no one suspected anything, Aubrey bought a ticket and got on the bus.

Grabbing onto the chairs as she went along, she sat down at the back of the bus as it drove off.

***

As someone entered the apartment block, Aubrey caught the door behind them, so she didn’t have to ring. Using the rail to pull herself up, she finally reached the second floor. She knocked on the door with all the strength she could muster, clinging onto the doorframe to stop herself from falling over.

“Bree?” Stacie opened the door, slightly confused as to why Aubrey was there before she realised what must have happened. “Oh my gosh,” she said as she saw Aubrey’s legs quivering. She opened up her arms as Aubrey fell into them, holding her up for support.

“Who’s there Stacie?” her mother called from her bedroom where she was getting ready for bed.

“It’s Aubrey. She’s had an argument with her dad,” she said, trying to think of a reason why Bree would be there. Aubrey stood up, so Stacie locked the door after shutting it. Putting an arm around Aubrey’s waist, she helped her girlfriend through into the hallway.

“Hello Aubrey,” Stacie’s mother said coming out in her dressing gown. “Does your father know you’re here?”

“I think so,” Aubrey lied unconvincingly.

“Is everything okay?”

“Sorry…” she said, trying not to let Stacie’s mother see the pain she was in. “We just had an argument. We’re fine, but I just… I just needed somewhere to stay tonight.”

“Can she stay here tonight Mom?” Stacie asked.

“I guess… yes. Of course,” she replied warmly, tired from the late time of night.

“She can sleep on the blow up mattress,” Stacie murmured. “I’ll go sort it out with her. You don’t need to worry about anything. Thanks Mom. Love you.”

Stacie helped Aubrey through into her bedroom, shutting the door behind them. Aubrey stood there silently as she undid her coat, passing it to Stacie, before sitting on Stacie’s bed and kicking off her shoes.

“Stacie… help me…” Aubrey whispered, feeling dizzy again.

“Bree… what happened…?” Stacie said, sitting next to Aubrey, taking her hand.

“It was the detention… he got an email… he kept on kicking me… I can’t go back Stace… can I just stay here?”

“For as long as you need to,” Stacie said, kissing Aubrey’s cheek. “He’ll have to physically drag me off you to get you away. There’s no way anyone’s gonna make you go home unless they drag you away. I’ll fight for you Aubs.”

“Love you Stace,” Aubrey winced.

“Does it hurt that much?” Stacie asked, concerned.

“Yeah,” Aubrey winced almost inaudibly, nodding slightly.

“Can I have a look?” Stacie asked, gently touching Aubrey’s top.

Aubrey nodded, peeling off her t shirt. She sighed as she looked down. She had a bit of grazing from where the sharp bit of her father’s shoe had come into contact with her, and it had bled into her t-shirt a bit. She was a little swollen already in the spots where he had kicked her, and it was already looking quite bruised.

She looked at Stacie, who was looking at her bruises in horror. “You can’t go back…” she whispered, still shocked. “H-how? How could he do this to you?”

Aubrey shrugged, tears pricking her eyes. “I’m so scared he knows I’m here… I can’t go back though… Please Stacie…”

“I hope he doesn’t know you’re here. But I’m gonna hold onto you until someone fights me off. My mom can’t make you leave if I won’t physically let you go. Do you want to get ready for bed now?” Stacie asked gently. “Then you can sleep when you’re ready.”

Aubrey nodded.

“Do you want to shower?”

Aubrey nodded again, still feeling her father’s feet on her. She knew showering would help a little.

“I’ll set a bed up so that it looks like you were sleeping on it overnight,” Stacie whispered. “Are you okay to share my bed with me? I can sleep on the floor if you need me to…”

“No. Please. Don’t sleep on the floor… Is your mom gonna mind?”

“She honestly doesn’t mind anymore. She’s kinda just let me go with whatever, as you can see. I mean she barely asked any questions when you turned up to stay. I guess it’s her coping mechanism for dealing with losing my dad.”

“It’s better than how my dad’s been doing to cope with losing my mom…”

Stacie sighed, realising that she’d been incredibly lucky. Aubrey had been incredibly unfortunate, but she had been lucky.

She gently pressed her lips to Aubrey’s forehead. “I love you. See you in a minute,” she said, passing Aubrey a towel from her chest of drawers.

 

Aubrey came out the bathroom wearing a baggy t-shirt and some leggings, moving to Stacie’s bed, stepping over the little mattress and duvet on the floor.

She sat on the bed, next to Stacie, who was sat up against the corner of the two walls, Stacie putting her arm around Aubrey. “What do you want to do?” she asked, knowing that Aubrey might not want to go to sleep yet.

“Tell me about France.”

“What do you want to hear about?”

“Did you make any friends?”

“A few,” Stacie replied.

“Guys, or girls or…”

“Mostly girls. There was this one guy though. Pierre.”

“Pierre?” Aubrey asked, laughing a little.

“Pierre,” Stacie replied, nodding. “That guy had a thing for me.”

“What did you tell him?”

“I didn’t. I just ignored him,” Stacie laughed. “Poor guy.”

“I almost feel bad for him.”

“I almost do as well,” Stacie agreed. “Bree, you need sleep. It’s late.”

Aubrey nodded in agreement as Stacie turned off the light.

“I love you Bree,” Stacie said taking Aubrey in her arms again. “So, so much.” She kissed the top of her head as they lay in bed together, changing their position so that Stacie had her front pressing against Aubrey’s back, her arm draped over her as if she was protecting her. There was nothing that he could do to Bree whilst she was in bed with her. She would keep her safe.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so, so much to Kay. I wouldn't be able to do any of this without her.

“Morning Bree,” Stacie murmured as her alarm went off. 

Aubrey groaned with pain as she came around.

“Sweetheart…” Stacie said as they sat up, letting Bree sit back and lean into her, supporting her weight. Aubrey groaned again as she sat up. “So it still hurts a lot then…”

Aubrey pulled up her t-shirt to reveal all the dark marks that her father had left, starting to feel sick. “They’ve gone purple…”

“I swear if I see that guy again I’m gonna beat him so bad that he’ll feel like he’s seeing purple for the first time… Shall I go get breakfast?” she asked, sliding out from behind Aubrey.

“Wait,” Aubrey said, holding onto Stacie’s arm. “Stay.” 

Stacie nodded, running her hand up and down Aubrey’s arm, trying to provide some sort of comfort in an area without bruises. “Are you okay to go to school today?”

“Yeah. If my dad comes, I’ll have nowhere to run to if I’m here.”

Stacie sighed, realising even more how much pain Aubrey must be feeling mentally, as well as physically. “Do you want to get dressed now?”

Aubrey nodded, tense.

“Do you have anything to wear?”

“I have a skirt and some jeans, but I can’t wear the skirt, it’ll show too much. And my jeans are gonna rub-”

Stacie slid out from behind Aubrey, before getting a pair of loose trousers from out her drawer. “These should be okay,” she said throwing them on the bed. “They’re not tight. What do you have for your top half? Anything loose?”

Aubrey shook her head. “I never wear loose stuff.”

Stacie took out a large t shirt from the chest. “This was my dad’s. I wear it on days where I need his strength.”

“Stacie, are you sure?” Aubrey asked, knowing that she herself would never lend anybody anything that used to belong to her mother before she died.

“Yeah. You need it more than I do. Also, you can borrow one of my hoodies. Just in case you’re cold.”

“Thank you Stace,” Aubrey said smiling slightly. “Where’s your mom?”

“She’s got an early shift. She left an hour ago. I’m just gonna use the bathroom,” Stacie said grabbing her clothes.

 

When she came out, Aubrey was still lying in bed, and seemed to be staring at her dreamcatcher which was going round in circles. “What are you gonna do if anyone asks anything?”

Aubrey shrugged a little, not really paying attention to what Stacie was saying, or taking her eyes off the dreamcatcher.

“How about some breakfast?”

“Not hungry,” Bree murmured.

“Bree…” Stacie said, kneeling down next to her girlfriend, caressing her cheek. “You’re gonna get through this. We will, together. I promise.”

***

Stacie and Aubrey arrived at school, their arms linked since Aubrey’s knee was still bad and she was finding it very hard to walk. “Bree, Stace!” Chloe called, running up to the two of them.

“Hey Chlo,” Stacie said smiling.

Chloe frowned, looking at Aubrey, whose hood was up, and trousers baggy. “Unusual outfit for you Bree,” Chloe remarked.

“Leave it Chloe,” Aubrey snapped.

“Oh… okay,” Chloe nodded, taken aback by Aubrey’s sudden snapping, her smile faltering. She hadn’t meant to hurt Aubrey, and she couldn’t think of anything she had done. Stacie whispered something inaudibly to Aubrey, before briefly and discreetly kissing the top of her hood. Chloe frowned again as they carried on walking down the hall, still not knowing what was going on.

***

At lunch, Aubrey, Stacie, Chloe, Beca, Jessica and Ashley were sitting on the floor in their normal spot around the side of the building. Stacie had her arm around Aubrey who was leaned against her, their other hands linked. Aubrey had her head resting on Stacie’s shoulder.

It was a lot quieter than it normally was. The others could sense that something was up.

“What’s going on with the PDA today Aubs?” Beca teased, knowing that Aubrey was usually a lot more reserved.

“Leave it Beca,” Aubrey snapped.

“Hey, no need to bite my head off…”

“What’s going on Aubrey?” Jessica asked. “You’ve been really out of it today.”

“I’m fine,” Aubrey retorted sharply.

“Aubrey, something’s up, and you’re not telling us what,” Chloe said with her arms crossed. “We’re meant to be your friends. We wouldn’t tell anyone.”

“Please talk Aubrey…” Ashley added.

“Look, guys, there’s nothing going on except you guys not minding your own business,” Aubrey retaliated. “Just leave me alone.”

They looked at Stacie for some advice as to what to say. Stacie shook her head slightly and looked at them in a way saying ‘leave it’ before kissing the top of Aubrey’s head once again.

Chloe sighed, still not knowing what was going on, feeling hurt that Aubrey wouldn’t tell her. They were best friends, and had been since they were five, and it hurt that Aubrey wasn’t coming to her when she needed her.

***

“Hey, Bree, isn’t that your dad?” Jessica asked as they were walking to the parking lot. “JIM!”

“Shit,” Stacie gasped as he saw him, sweeping Aubrey behind a van in the parking lot. “Did he see you?” Stacie whispered to Jessica who was standing there, confused. “JESSICA, DID HE SEE YOU?”

Aubrey felt her heart stop as Stacie wrapped her arms around her, protecting her, and hopefully stopping her father from seeing her. Was he going to try and take her home?”

“No, I don’t think so… it’s quite noisy…”

Stacie sighed in relief, Aubrey still tight between her arms. “Where’s Kelsey? Is she taking us home today?”

Jessica nodded, frowning. “Aubrey, are you coming back with us?”

“Yeah, she is,” Stacie replied briskly. “Where’s Kelsey?”

“She’ll be here in a minute…”

“Is Aubrey’s father still there?” Stacie whispered, panicking, still holding Aubrey tight. She could feel her shaking.

Jessica shook her head. “No, he went in the other direction.”

“Is Kelsey coming?”

“Yeah, I see her,” Jessica said, as a car came towards them. “Why can’t Bree see her dad?”

“Oh, erm… they had an argument. The same one as yesterday. It’s just… not quite worked out yet. Right, in the car,” Stacie said quickly opening in the door and gently pushing Aubrey into the car before jumping in herself. She bent down and kept her hand on Aubrey’s back, encouraging her to do the same. “It’s okay Bree, he didn’t see you,” she said as Jessica’s sister drew away.

“How long are you staying with Stacie and Mattilda for?” Jessica asked.

“Oh, I don’t know… maybe not… I’m not sure, I might just do homework at Stacie’s house,” Aubrey said as they both sat up, now out the school premises, looking at Stacie as if to tell her that she was just trying to lead Jessica away from asking questions. Stacie nodded, reassuring Bree.

A few minutes later they were at their apartment block. Jessica’s apartment was on the top floor whilst Stacie’s was only on the second. They said goodbye to Jessica as they got out the elevator.

“Hello girls,” Stacie’s mom said as she let them in. “How was your day?”

“It was okay thanks,” Stacie said, smiling at her mother.

“What about yours Aubrey?”

Aubrey nodded, trying her best to smile. “It was fine thank you.”

“Are you going to be staying over tonight?”

“We’ve got a project for school,” Stacie interjected. “She’s my partner, and it might take a while, so probably.”

“Okay,” Mattilda replied, smiling. “I’ll bring you guys through some dinner in a few hours.”

“Thanks Mom,” Stacie said, smiling warmly at her mother, before taking Aubrey’s hand and going through into her room. She was surprised her mother hadn’t asked more questions.

She took Aubrey’s bag and hung both of them on the back of her door as Aubrey sat on her bed.

“Stacie, what if he finds me?”

Stacie looked at her girlfriend, sitting on her bed, looking terrified. “I can’t promise he won’t, but I promise I’ll fight for you. I’m not gonna let him take you away from me without a fight.” She sat down next to her on the bed and wrapped her arms around her before they both lay down on the bed, Stacie cocooning Aubrey.

“Can we just stay like this forever?”

“I really hope so,” Stacie sighed. “Really hope so.”

***

Aubrey was sitting on Stacie’s bed doing her maths homework whilst Stacie was at her desk. She didn’t want to risk an email home.

They were checking their answers against each others when they heard a knock at the door, before hearing Stacie’s mom answer it.

“Jim,” they heard her say.

Aubrey suddenly felt all the strength in her body disappear. She felt like she was lurching forward, as well as spinning around, all at the same time, her heart rate shooting up and her breathing going very quickly.

“I’ll go,” Stacie said, almost as scared, standing up as they heard her mother say ‘Yeah, she’s here.’

“Hello Mr Posen,” Stacie said, sliding out her door.

“Stacie,” he said, standing almost completely still. “Is my daughter in your room?”

“Erm… Aubrey?” Stacie faltered.

“Stacie, don’t play games,” Mattilda said, her eyes widening.

“I’m here Father,” Aubrey said sliding out from behind the door. Stacie immediately stood in front of her.

“Aubrey, where have you been for the last day?” he asked, scoffing a little.

“Here…” Her breathing was unsteady and she was finding it difficult to speak.

He took a step closer towards them, glaring at Stacie. Aubrey saw this and immediately stepped in front of Stacie, who didn’t want to let Aubrey get hurt, so stepped to the side. They ended up holding onto each other, neither of them knowing what they were doing but both too scared to let the other go for fear of what might happen.

“Aubrey Jane Posen, step away now,” he said, glaring more. “Come with me or you won’t be allowed out again for a long, long time.”

Aubrey gasped, as he walked towards them, grabbing onto Aubrey’s wrist, grabbing onto Stacie with the other, trying to separate them. He dug his fingers into Stacie, not letting her mother see. Stacie let out a little gasp, not expecting his grip to be so strong.

Aubrey heard, at which point she let go of Stacie. Whatever happened, she did NOT want Stacie to get hurt because of her.

“Bree-” Stacie whispered, a distraught expression forming on her face as her mother came and stood next to her, putting an arm around her. She could see by her mother’s expression that she just wanted the situation to be over so that they could leave, ensuring Stacie’s safety.

Jim had a strong hold on Aubrey’s wrist, his fingernails digging into her skin. “I’m so sorry for this Mattilda. You must know what it’s like. She’s been acting so strangely ever since her mother passed. You must know what it’s like yourself, with Stacie and her father, each child reacts in different ways.”

Aubrey shook her head in disbelief. Was he really saying that this was because of her mother? And was he really bringing Stacie’s bereavement into this?

“Come on Aubrey, we’ve got to go home,” he said, dragging Aubrey to the door.

“Bree, what about your stuff?” Stacie asked, not sure what to do at this point.

“She’ll pick it up another time,” her father interjected.

“BREE,” Stacie shouted, feeling like she was going to vomit from nerves for Bree.

“I think you should go to your room,” Stacie’s mother said quietly, not meeting Stacie’s eyes and taking her arm away..

Stacie turned around, shutting her door behind her, getting out her phone and texting Aubrey. She wasn’t sure what to do...


	6. Chapter 6

The first thing that Stacie did the next morning was reach out to feel the space beside her in bed. She suddenly felt sick, as the events of the previous night flooded back. She reached for her phone. Nothing from Bree. She texted her again, just in case she hadn’t seen her 47 previous messages. It’s not like Stacie’d slept a lot, it was unlikely she would have missed anything.

She got out of bed, picking up the t-shirt that Aubrey had worn the night before, burying her face into it. Anything to feel like Bree was there. She wasn’t sure what she was meant to do. She was going to talk to Chloe. They’d figure it out together.

***

“I’d like you to complete Page 22 for tomorrow. Oh, and by the way, Aubrey Posen’s father has called to say that Aubrey had an accident and won’t be in school for a while. Class dismissed,” the teacher said waving her hand to clear the classroom.

Stacie started to feel dizzy. She needed to talk to Chloe. Now.

Stepping out the classroom, Chloe came out behind her. “Stacie, I don’t know or care what Aubrey’s told you not to say, but you’re going to talk. Now.”

“How do you know?” Stacie whispered.

“It kind of reminded me of this episode of Full House,” Chloe said despairingly. “That, and Aubrey’s relationship with her dad hasn’t been good… He’s always scared me slightly... He wasn’t home a lot, but when he was, he scared me. And I can see the way that Aubrey’s confidence is in tatters - I see the wall that she’s built up around herself. And she would only be doing that because she’s hiding something. It couldn’t just be about her mother. Because I know about that. The only reason why she’d be pushing me away is because there’s something I don’t know.”

Stacie nodded, understanding what Chloe meant. “I’ll explain it all later. You come back to mine. I’ll tell you everything, I promise.”

***

“Stacie, what’s going on?” Chloe asked anxiously, dropping her bag on the floor once they’d greeted Stacie’s mother and shut the door.

“A short while after Aubrey’s mother died, her father hit her. It wasn’t so bad then. But for the last few months, he’s been hurting her badly. Kicking her, punching her… Last night it was so bad that she ran away to mine, but then he came here and took her back yesterday night… I don’t know what to do Chloe… she’s not letting me talk to anyone about it… I’m just so worried about what’s gonna happen if someone takes Aubrey’s dad’s side and she just ends up getting hurt even more badly… but then again, I’m so, SO worried about her now… I don’t know what he’s done to her Chlo… she had no ‘accident’, I’m sure of it...”

There was silence for a few seconds, before Stacie heard a noise at the door. She quickly turned around and opened it, revealing her mother.

“Stacie… is this true?”

“MOM!” Stacie exclaimed with a horrified expression on her face. “THAT WAS A PRIVATE CONVERSATION!”

“Stacie, if what you were telling Chloe is true, we need to call the cops. Right now. Aubrey could be in serious danger.”

Stacie looked to Chloe, who was nodding at her. “Okay,” Stacie murmured reluctantly.

 

“Right, Stacie, we’re going to Aubrey’s house. Right now,” Stacie’s mom said coming back into the room after getting off the phone. “Chloe, I don’t know if it’s safe. I couldn’t risk taking you.”

Chloe nodded in agreement.

“Chlo, I promise I’ll update you on everything that happens,” Stacie stated earnestly, stepping back into her shoes and running out her room, her mom running behind her.

Stacie ran down the stairs, not wanting to wait for an elevator. She wasn’t watching where she was going, focussed solely on getting to Bree as quickly as she could.

As soon as she got out the door, she tried to open the car door, but the car was locked. She carried on trying to open it until her mom got out the door, unlocking it. They both got in the car, Stacie’s mother driving off as Stacie struggled to put on her seatbelt, too anxious to put it in properly.

As her mother drove along, she sat with her fingertips scraped into her hair, her elbows resting on her knees. She couldn’t turn up in this state. It wasn’t gonna help Bree.

 

Finally, they arrived at Aubrey’s house. Stacie jumped out the car to see two police cars and an ambulance. She stumbled backwards, her back hitting the car.

She watched as her mother got out the car and spoke to a policeman. A few seconds later, when she felt able enough to walk, she stumbled over to where the two of them were standing.

“C-c-can I go in?” she stuttered.

The policeman shook his head. “We’re not currently aware of Mr Posen’s whereabouts. Hang on a minute please ma’am,” he said, reaching for his pocket radio and stepping to the side.

Stacie’s mother tried to put an arm around her, but she stepped away, not wanting to touch anyone but her girlfriend.

She could overhear snippets of what was coming from the radio.

“...glass…”

“...locked…”

“...still unconscious…”

Stacie put her hand on the bumper of the police car, not wanting to fall over.

She stood there for a few more minutes, looking at Aubrey’s window, where the curtains were shut. About another minute later, the policeman standing in the doorway stepped out the door and made way for two ambulance men, carrying out a stretcher.

“BREE,” Stacie screamed out, only to be glared at by the policeman. She shot a look of apology to him, before her mother gently took hold of her arm. She stood there as a tear rolled down her face.

 

Stacie wasn’t sure what was going on. She wasn’t allowed into the ambulance. There were policemen and ambulance crew talking around her, but she couldn’t pick up any of what they were saying, and she wasn’t allowed where she could even see Bree.

A while later, a woman from the ambulance came out and started walking towards her. “You’re… Stacie right?”

Stacie nodded insistently as the woman got closer.

“I’m sorry, this is not something we would normally ask, but is there any chance you could come up into the ambulance?”

“Is she awake?”

“She’s recently come around, but her head injuries are too bad for her to fully come around yet.”

What? Head injuries?

“She’s been muttering your name for the last few minutes. She seems to be quite distressed, and it’s not good for her, especially not at the moment.”

“Is she bad?” Stacie asked, walking towards the ambulance. “The injuries? Are they bad?”

“They’re certainly not… light,” she replied solemnly.

“They’re not gonna be… fatal, are they...?” Stacie asked, struggling to even say the words.

“We won’t know for sure until we get to the hospital.”

Stacie took a deep breath as she stepped into the ambulance. She couldn’t lose her. She’d already lost her dad… not Bree. She couldn’t lose Aubrey.

“Bree?”

She looked at her girlfriend lying in the ambulance. Her head was swollen and covered in blood. One of her eyes was black, her nose was covered in blood and her lip was split. This was all she could see since a blanket had been put over her.

“Bree, I’m here.”

“S-s-Stacie?” she murmured very quietly, her eyes opening a little, but no more than just a crack.

“I’m here now Bree,” she said, standing right next to her and crouching down, not wanting to touch her for fear of touching somewhere that hurt. “Close your eyes.”

“Stace, what’s going on?”

“Erm, something happened at home, but the ambulance are here. The police too. You’re never gonna have to go back Bree.”

“What’s gonna happen?”

Stacie bit her lip, not knowing herself what was gonna happen to Aubrey now. “We’re gonna take it one day at a time. I’m gonna be here though. I promise. We’re gonna go to the hospital now to get you sorted out.”

“Can you come?”

Stacie looked hopefully at the nurse, who shook her head.

“I’m gonna have to go now, but I promise I’ll see you as soon as we get to the hospital. Don’t worry about that Bree. You’re safe now.”

The nurse tilted her head towards the door.

“I’ll see you soon Bree,” she said, reluctantly stepping out the ambulance, hearing Aubrey whispering her name as she stepped out.


	7. Chapter 7

Stacie felt more tears run down her face as she watched the ambulance doors slam. She walked to her mother, trying to keep her balance. She couldn’t lose Bree. Not now, not ever. Her mother signalled to the car, where they both got in, Stacie sitting in the back so he didn’t have to interact with her mother.

She got out her phone and opened her messages as her mother pulled away to follow Aubrey to the hospital.

________________  
Chloe

Stacie, 7:47  
Chloe

Chloe, 7:47  
How is she? Xxxxxxx

Stacie, 7:47  
Wiman in amblnce said might not make it thru

Chloe, 7:48  
Oh my god

Stacie, 7:49  
On way to hosptl now, idk what to do

Stacie, 7:50  
Can’t lose her

Chloe, 7:51  
Has she been conscious at all?

Stacie, 7:52  
For a few mins, i spok to her, but brain damage mybe or internal bleeding  
Shes unconcious now agn

Chloe, 7:52  
I’m so sorry Stacie  
I don’t know what to say…  
I can’t lose her either  
She’s my best friend  
Oh my god

Stacie, 7:54  
Chloe  
What do I do

Chloe, 7:55  
You’ve gotta stay strong for her Stace  
She needs you more than ever

Stacie, 7:57  
Okay  
There now  
ttyl  
____________

Stacie stepped out the car, pinching herself once again to check that she wasn’t dreaming. She knew she wouldn’t be able to see Bree right away, or at least not until she’d been checked out by the Doctor… but she could wait. That was something she COULD do.

***

Stacie was sitting in the waiting room. They’d been there for an hour, and her mother had been called out by a nurse to talk to her about Aubrey, and to find out if she was making any progress. Since her mother worked at the hospital Aubrey was in, in the same A&E department, she was hoping they would be able to go through.

10 minutes after she’d been called out, she returned, sitting next to Stacie and wrapping her arms around her.

“Any news?” she asked, yawning from lack of sleep the previous night and the evening’s events.

Mattilda shook her head. “Not yet. We’ll stay here though. You should try and get some sleep.”

“What if something happens to Bree?” Stacie asked anxiously.

“I’ll wake you up as soon as we know anything, but you’ll want to be awake when we’re allowed to go and see her. I promise.”

“Okay,” Stacie said nodding, leaning against the wall. “Please do.”

***

“Stacie, wake up…” Mattilda said, shaking the sleeping girl slightly.

“Hmm?” Stacie murmured, forgetting where she was for a second before it all came flooding back. “How long was I out? Is Bree okay?”

“We’re allowed to go and see her now. She’s unconscious but they said that someone she trusts should be there when she wakes up. You’ve only been asleep for four hours.”

“FOUR?” Stacie exclaimed. “Oh my gosh… Bree…”

They stood up as a nurse who Stacie recognised as one of her mother’s colleagues led them through the hospital into the ward where Aubrey was. The nurse opened the door as they stepped into the room. Stacie gulped as she saw her girlfriend lying so still, a sheet tucked into the bed over her, fluid drips and pain relief coming in through her arm arm. She took a seat next to Aubrey, pulling her chair right up next to the bed.

“You can take her hand if you want. Just be careful, she’s broken one of her ribs on the right,” she said, indicating to Aubrey’s hand without tubes in.

Stacie tentatively reached for Aubrey’s hand, not wanting to hurt her anymore. Once she was a little more certain, her other hand joined the first one.

Aubrey’s hand felt heavy in hers, Aubrey not supporting her own weight at all. She could feel her helplessness in the situation.

“Nurse Conrad, a word outside please,” the nurse said, stepping outside with Mattilda. “I’m going to update your mother on everything I can that’s happening with your friend,” the nurse explained. “Remember, you ARE a source of comfort. Talk to her.”

Stacie sat there in silence for a few moments more once the two women had left the room, listening to Aubrey’s laboured breathing in the silence. It was just her and Bree now. “Aubrey, I know I don’t tell you enough,” she said quietly, on the chance that Aubrey could hear her, “but I love you. I love you so, so much. It sucks being young, because no one would take us that seriously… but this last year and a half… it’s been amazing. You’ve helped me through so, so much. There’s no way I could have got through what happened with my dad without you there. And being away from you these last few months… calling is nothing like holding you in my arms… I swear, Aubrey Posen, you’d better get better because I can’t live with the idea that I might never get to hold you again… If you get better, I’m actually not gonna let go of you again. I’ll drive you crazy but at least you’ll be safe… You’re strong, Bree. You’re the strongest person I know, and you’re gonna make it through.”

Stacie bit her lip, trying not to cry. She realised that she was squeezing Aubrey’s hand quite tightly, and didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable so loosened her grip.

She was startled when she heard a little groan come from Aubrey. Maybe not a groan. A noise.

She held her breath, almost desperate for Aubrey to make another noise.

A few seconds later, she did. And then a second after…

“Stace?” she groaned, almost inaudibly.

“Bree!..” Stacie gasped, her whole body flooded with relief. “Bree, I love you.” She wanted her girlfriend to know that she loved her just in case Aubrey wasn’t okay.

“I know. I heard,” she murmured, obvious effort being displayed.

“You heard? Weren’t you asleep?”

“I heard.” Aubrey’s voice was a little steadier now. She was speaking more surely, yet she seemed to be fazed, but calm at the same time. It was worrying Stacie.

“Do you want me to go get the nurse?” Stacie asked.

“What?”

“Bree, do you remember what happened?” Stacie asked anxiously.

Aubrey’s face creased slightly as she remembered, yet still staying calm. “I don’t remember everything…” she said.

“Shit, Bree, I’m sorry…” Stacie didn’t want to make Aubrey upset. She was kicking herself.

“Stace, where is he?”

Stacie shook her head, trying hard not to blink because she knew she was going to cry. And she couldn’t. Not now. She had to stay strong or Bree wouldn’t feel safe. “They don’t know yet. He can’t hurt you now though. He can’t get here.”

“I remember what happened… Stace… he took a s-stool… I think he was hammering me with the legs…” Aubrey seemed unnaturally serene.

Stacie gaped at what Aubrey was saying. “He hit… he hit you with a STOOL?”

Aubrey didn’t respond, staring into space. “I remember now… I knocked a photo off the wall with my dad, mom and me… that’s what started it all with the stool, though he was already so angry… but he got so mad...”

Stacie bent over even more and kissed Aubrey’s hand gently. She was worried out of her mind, but couldn’t let Aubrey see.

“He kicked me,” she said, looking down in the direction of her nose and mouth. “He kept on kicking...” Aubrey seemed unfazed by what she was saying. Stacie groaned internally as she saw how calm Aubrey was, knowing that it was because of her head. She looked at Aubrey’s nose and mouth which were raw, her nose red with the traces of blood and her bottom lip split. She then looked at Aubrey’s black eye and the raw spots on her forehead. She felt her stomach churn in anger/dread for everything that that man had made her Bree go through. NO ONE has the right to do that.

“How did you get the deep cut along your face?” Stacie asked, noting the stitches along her cheekbone.

Aubrey frowned slightly. “I… I- I can’t remember.”

“What can I do to make you feel at all better baby?” Stacie said, squeezing Aubrey’s hand tightly.

“Everything hurts so, so much,” Aubrey replied nonchalantly.

Stacie was now extremely scared. How was she staying so calm? Was it the drugs, or her head or… 

“I wish you could hold me. But I can’t move.”

Stacie sighed, standing up and putting one hand on the bed next to Bree’s shoulder and the other on her other side next to her. She looked into Aubrey’s eyes, trying to connect with her properly. She could see that Aubrey was lost in there. She was going to take time to find.

Stacie blinked back her tears she gently pressed her lips to the corner of Aubrey’s mouth, not wanting to hurt her in any way, trying to convey all her emotions through the gesture of love.

She pushed herself up a little, still hovering over her girlfriend. She knew she couldn’t take it any further. Aubrey wasn’t well enough.

A teardrop rolled down Stacie’s face onto Aubrey’s cheek. Stacie quickly brushed it away, but Aubrey had noticed. “Bree, I don’t know how yet, but I promise I’m gonna take you home and look after you myself as soon as you’re well enough.”

Stacie sat back in her chair, taking Aubrey’s hand again, rubbing small circles on her palm as they sat together in an understanding silence. They were going to get through this. Together.


	8. Chapter 8

“A word outside please Miss Conrad,” the Doctor told Stacie as he came in with Mattilda and the nurse.

Stacie squeezed Aubrey’s hand as she put it back on the bed. “I’ll be back in a minute,” Stacie promised as she stepped outside the door. “Is Bree okay? She’s gonna live right?” Stacie asked quietly, making sure at all costs that Bree didn’t hear, practically too scared to say the words.

“She’s not going to die, no. We haven’t found any internal bruising. She has, however, broken her rib. This will make breathing a painful experience for her and will take four to six weeks to heal.”

Stacie sighed as she took on board the new information.

“She has bad bruising on various other places in her body, some evidently caused by kicks to the skin, and others with some sort of object. This has resulted in the broken rib. We also had to take a piece of broken glass out of her lower back, most likely from the broken picture frame that was found on the ground at the scene. She also has a black eye as well as a swollen and bloody nose, which thankfully, is not broken, and cuts around her mouth, most likely from the kicks, accompanied by a split lip. She was also hit round the head with a bottle which cracked on her face, along her cheekbone, as well as impacting her on a higher part of her head which caused the concussion, so it is very unlikely that she remembers this.”

Stacie stood there speechless. She didn’t understand why someone could hurt ANYONE, let alone their own DAUGHTER like that. Especially not Bree. Bree who had never done anything to hurt anyone. Who always looked out for people, and loved unconditionally. Her Bree.

“...can I go back in please?” Stacie asked, biting her lip.

The Doctor nodded, so she promptly re-entered the room.

She took her space next to her girlfriend, taking her hand. She was so close to kissing her again but knew she couldn’t if she wanted any chance at getting Aubrey back with her in her apartment, where she could look after her once she was out of hospital.

“I-I’m so sorry Bree,” she stuttered, staring into her eyes.

Aubrey looked back, trying to reach out to her girlfriend. Stacie mouthed ‘I love you’, causing a faint smile to creep across Aubrey’s tired face. “Sleepy?” she asked quietly.

Aubrey blinked in response.

“You sleep,” Stacie said nodding.

“Will you still be here when I wake up?” Aubrey murmured anxiously.

“Do you have any exams tomorrow?” Mattilda asked from across the room.

“Oh gosh,” Stacie murmured. “Erm, yeah. Maths.”

“You’re going to have to go in,” Mattilda told her sympathetically. “It’s an exam.”

Stacie groaned. “I need to stay here.”

“We’ll go home at 5, sleep for a few hours and then you can go into school.”

 

Stacie was angry. Why was her mom making her go in now? She needed to stay with Bree. Bree who couldn’t even connect visually with the person she trusted the most.

“Well, can I come back afterwards?” she asked.

Her mother nodded. “Yeah. Tomorrow evening.”

Stacie nodded, turning her attention back towards her girlfriend, tracing circles with her thumb around her palm.

***

Stacie’s mom had arranged to take her to school the next morning. Stacie kissed her mom goodbye and headed towards the front door, where she bumped into Chloe and Beca. The first thing that Chloe did was wrap her arms around Stacie.

“How is she?” Beca asked after a few seconds.

“Bad. She’s just so… not there. I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t know what to do guys…”

“Just carry on being there for her… I don’t know what else we CAN do… it’s such an awful, awful situation,” Chloe said rubbing Stacie’s arm, when a highschool freshman came up to them.

“Hey, how’s that girl doing?”

Stacie frowned. “What do you mean?”

 

“You’re Stacie Conrad, right?”

Stacie nodded.

“There was a girl, Posen, and an ambulance and a load of police outside her house. And now the police are appealing for any information about the whereabouts of her father. I saw you in a photo, on that report by the Barden Gazette Twitter page. Everyone’s talking about it. What happened?”

Chloe saw the panic in Stacie’s eyes and reacted quickly, turning Stacie around. “I’m sorry, but we aren’t allowed to comment,” she said briskly before she and Beca each grabbed one of Stacie’s arms and walked away.

“Come on, Stace, five minutes til class starts,” Beca whispered. “Just don’t talk to anyone.”

Stacie panicked as they walked through the hallway, various people asking questions and staring at her as she walked past.

“What’s going on with Aubrey?”

“Has her dad been found?”

 

“Is she going to be okay?”

Stacie groaned at the relentless questions, ignoring everyone until she saw one particular ninth grader. “You. Word, NOW,” she said breaking free from Beca and Chloe and pulling her into the bathroom.

“What?” she asked, a petrified expression spread across her face.

“I know you’ve snitched. It must have been you. But can I please say, now, that if you tell anyone, and I mean ANYONE else about Bree and I, you are dead meat. Understood?”

The girl nodded, shrinking back a little.

“You’d better make sure that your dad doesn’t tell anyone else either. I mean it. If ANYTHING ruins Bree’s chances of staying safe and getting better, when I believe that the place she’d feel the most comfortable and have the best chances of getting as back to herself as she’ll be able to is with me, then I will be exceptionally angry. Do you understand? NO ONE.”

The girl nodded again, taking a little step back in fear.

“You can go,” Stacie said, stepping out the bathroom. She didn’t want social services finding out that Aubrey was her girlfriend, just in case it hurt her chances of being able to take Aubrey home with her. She knew it would be much better for Aubrey to go back to her house, rather than being placed with someone who didn’t know her or know how to help her.

“Okay, guys, let’s do this test,” Stacie said, stepping out again and marching quickly towards their maths classroom, ignoring the stares of everyone else.

***

“Bree!” she exclaimed, entering the room and perching on the side of Aubrey’s bed after having been dropped off at the hospital by Kelsey and Jessica. Her mother was talking to a social worker so couldn’t pick her up from school. “How are you feeling? Did you manage to sleep at all?”

“A bit,” Aubrey replied, slowly and groggily. “Have they found my dad yet?”

Stacie shook her head. “No. Not yet.”

Aubrey sighed, her face plastered with fear. “What if he tries to hurt me again?”

“It’s gonna be different if he ever does again. I will kick him, and punch him, or do whatever I need to, so that you are safe.”

Stacie was interrupted by her mother and another woman standing at the door.

“Stacie, a word outside please,” her mother said.

“Back in a minute,” Stacie whispered, standing up carefully.

“Is she okay?” Stacie whispered.

“Fine. She’s doing well in the circumstances,” her mother replied. “Stacie, this is Mrs Jessus.”

“Oh, please, call me Kem,” the woman replied smiling warmly and offering her hand to a slightly nervous Stacie.

“I’ve never met anyone called Kem before,” Stacie remarked, taking her hand cautiously.

“I was named Anna-Mae at birth, but I never liked it. The nickname sort of stuck.”

 

Stacie smiled at her. She seemed genuinely nice.

“I’m Aubrey’s social worker. I’m going to be working with your mother and the hospital to make sure that Aubrey’s getting the best care and is the happiest she can be in the circumstances. I spoke to her briefly earlier, and to your mother, I believe that she will be happiest with you guys, once she is well enough to leave the hospital, since she doesn’t have any immediate family. Since your mom’s a nurse, she’ll know how to give Bree her medicine. I don’t think that placing her with a foster family wouldn’t be the best thing for her. She has gone through an emotionally and physically traumatic event, and she’s still shaken by the death of her mother, and all the stuff she’s gone through since with her dad. Is this okay with you?”

Once Stacie had figured out everything that she had said, she nodded, vigorously. “Of course. Please.” She wanted to make it very clear that she wanted Aubrey to come back home with her.

“I’ll be around every day for the first week or so, to talk to Aubrey and you and your mother, to find out how you’re getting on and if there’s anything I can do to help, or if you just need someone to talk to, and then after that, weekly visits. I’m always a phone call away if you need to talk,” she said smiling. “I’m coming around tomorrow afternoon to check that everything’s okay before she comes home at some point next week, as long as she’s well enough.”

“We’re going to need to get a bed tomorrow morning Stacie,” her mother told her.

Stacie smiled back at Kem. “Does Bree know yet?”

“Would you like to tell her yourself?” she said warmly.

Stacie nodded eagerly, stepping back into the room. “Bree!”

She sighed despondently when she saw how much pain her girlfriend was in.

“Stace… please… I can’t do this anymore…”

“Bree, you’ve just gotta get through the next few days. Then you’re coming home with me.”

“Mm?”

“Social services said you could come back to ours!” Stacie said, trying not to cry in front of Aubrey. She could see her girlfriend struggling to breathe because of the pain.

The corner of Aubrey’s mouth twitched. “How long?” she murmured.

“Kem, the social worker you were speaking to earlier, said sometime next week. We’re gonna share a room since it’s only a small apartment. And I’ll be there. For everything. I’ll kiss you every night before you go to sleep. And we can watch Netflix in bed. And we can snuggle during the evening… and through the night…” Stacie sighed, realising she wouldn’t be able to take away her girlfriend’s pain no matter how much she told her was coming. “Do you want to sleep?” she asked, hoping that she wouldn’t be able to feel the pain when she was unconscious, looking at her girlfriend’s drooping eyelids.

Aubrey groaned slightly as her eyes shut, rolling back.

“MOM?!” Stacie called.

Mattilda rushed in. “Is everything okay?!”

“She’s fainted…”

“Stacie, we knew this was going to happen,” Mattilda said taking a seat. “She’s in so much pain…”

Aubrey’s doctor came in and started performing some check ups on Aubrey. Stacie was looking at Aubrey’s face, observing how her face changed to a more distressed expression every time she was touched.

“You’re hurting her,” Stacie cried out quietly, to be met with a death glare from her mother.

“It’s not fair,” Stacie said as she turned away from Aubrey, her hand on her hip and her other hand over her mouth as she began to uncontrollably.

“Stacie, I thought you were mature enough for this - please don’t prove me wrong…”

Stacie’s face of despair turned to one of anger. “I thought that YOU, of ALL PEOPLE would understand what I'm going through,” she snapped.

She felt a wave of guilt rush over as she’d realised what she’d said.

She’d brought her dad into it. Her mother’s depression into it.

She watched as her mother looked at her in disbelief.

She stood there, on the spot, not sure what to do. She didn’t want to run. She couldn’t leave her girlfriend.

“I, I-I’m sorry,” Stacie whispered.

Her mother blinked, slowly, looking at Stacie in the eyes.

“She’s just asleep,” the Doctor said, leaving the room. “No need to worry.”

***

Aubrey came around slightly to Stacie brushing her hair out of her face for her and whispering that she loved her. She struggled to open her eyes, but still struggled to do so.

“S-Stace…” she struggled.

“Bree, I’ve gotta go home… I want to stay but I can’t…”

“Come back, please.”

“I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Can’t you stay now?” Aubrey replied, a little more sure of what she was saying now.

“Bree, you’ve just gotta get through these next few days. I’ll be back at nine tomorrow, but the Doctor says you’ve gotta rest with no interruptions. I just want you to get better.”

“I love you,” Aubrey whispered, forgetting anyone else was in the room.

“Love you too,” Stacie mouthed back before she followed her mother out the room.

Aubrey sighed, trying to release her breath slowly. Every time she breathed, she was in agony. Even when she was breathing, she felt her father striking her repeatedly, and the events of the previous week as well as the past few months going around and around in her mind on repeat.

They kept replaying, over and over again, whether she was sleeping or awake.

She closed her eyes, in the unlikely event that her mind let her dream about something unrelated to all the shit that was going on.

***

When Aubrey opened her eyes, she was back home again. She pushed away any thoughts of how she could be there, or how injured she was when she sat up in her bed. Something… something was off, but she was ignoring that for now. It didn’t matter that none of the furniture was quite in the right place, or that the wall was slightly the wrong colour. She was home.

She was trying to get out of bed, but was struggling to move. It was like her hands and feet were tied, even though she couldn’t see any rope tying them. It was like she was moving through treacle.

Suddenly, the door flung open, revealing her father, who pushed off her covers and got on top of her, putting his hands around her neck, stopping her from breathing. She couldn’t move her arms at all. It was like she was frozen, she couldn’t move at all, she couldn’t get him off her and-

 

 

Aubrey opened up her eyes. She threw up her arms to try to respond to her father, still feeling suffocating her, to be met with searing pain from the sudden movement.

Her door was shut and the curtain had been drawn. There was no light coming into her room. She couldn’t see anything. All she could hear was the business of the hospital corridors and all the thoughts and voices going round her head.

She was alone.

Completely alone.

And she really needed someone there.

She needed Stacie.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this has been ages... lots of work to get through... Promise I haven't given up!

“What about this one?” Mattilda asked, slightly frustrated with Stacie who was being exceptionally choosy with Aubrey’s bed.

“No,” Stacie said shaking her head. “It’s too low. Bree said it really annoys her when she has to get into bed and she feels like she’s falling over.”

“Erm, okay, how about this one?” she asked, moving over to stand by one with metal poles forming a pattern.

“No. Aubrey likes solid bedheads.”

Mattilda sighed and moved over to the next one. “THIS one?”

“She can barely move! She can’t climb up something that big! How about that one?” she said, pointing to a bed in the corner, dragging her mother towards it.

“Stacie, no, that’s WAY too expensive. You know we don’t have a lot of money at the moment.”

“I swear, you can take it out of the allowance Nana gives me until it’s paid off. Please, Mom. I just want her to be comfortable.”

Mattilda considered for a second before reluctantly agreeing. “Fine. I guess it’s big enough for the two of you to snuggle or do… whatever it is you do together.”

Stacie felt her heart skip a beat. “Mom? What do you mean?” she said, trying hard not to sound defensive.

“Isn’t Aubrey your girlfriend?”

Stacie felt her heart rate increase dramatically. How did she know?

“Don’t tell me we’re doing all this for just a friend of yours.”

Stacie bit down on her lip, trying hard not to say something that Bree wouldn’t be happy with.

“...what do you mean?” she asked, tentatively. “She’s just a friend.”

“I’ve never seen you that protective over ‘just a friend’. Or that in love with one either. And there’s a reason why Aubrey didn’t go to Chloe, isn’t there? I know they’re best friends. Yet she didn’t go to Chloe. And you don’t call for someone, half unaware of what you’re doing when you’re half conscious after brutally being attacked by your own father unless they’re your girlfriend. Stacie, please don’t lie to me. I’m not going to tell anyone unless you want me to. Just please, tell me so we can help her in the best way we can.”

Stacie paused for a moment, digesting all that her mother was saying. “Yes,” she said hesitantly. “She is. Are you… are you okay with that?”

Mattilda chuckled warmly. “Of course. I’m a little upset that you didn’t feel you could tell me, but I do understand why. How long have the two of you been together?”

“Over a year and a half,” Stacie said. “We’ve been through a lot together. A lot,” she said really emphasising it. They’d each lost a parent and faced difficulties with the other parent since they’d got together. They could understand each other in a way that no one else was able to. “I love her. She means so, so much to me. I love her more than I knew I could love someone. I could never lose her, or let anything else happen to her. Please.”

“Stacie, I understand. I’m not going to say she can’t come and live with us. You just need to be careful that no one at the hospital finds out. Just in case. As I can see you’re already doing. I won’t mention I know.”

Stacie was flooded with relief and flung her arms around her slightly bewildered mother. “Love you,” she said when she released her mother from the tight embrace.

 

Mattilda smiled warmly. “Let’s go see if we can order this bed.”

***

“Stacie, grab your coat,” Mattilda said as she burst into Stacie’s room.

“Is it Bree?” she asked, anxiously sitting up.

“Yeah, she’s having some sort of panic attack or something. Rachel texted me,” she said referring to one of her colleagues who was helping take care with Aubrey along with Doctor Whittaker. “She won’t calm down, and they’re getting really worried. She’s not even letting anyone touch her.”

Stacie jumped out of bed, stepping to her shoes and grabbing her bag. She just hoped that SHE’D be able to console Aubrey somehow.

***

Stacie rushed through the corridors of the hospital, accidentally bumping into an unsuspecting nurse. She shot a look of remorse as her mother apologized behind her.

A minute later she reached Aubrey’s room. Suddenly, she hesitated, worried about what state she was going to find Bree in.

She opened the door slowly, revealing Doctor Whittaker standing next to Bree who was sat up on her bed, shaking as well as breathing unsteadily.

“Bree…” she said, walking into the room as Doctor Whittaker took another step towards Aubrey, trying to get her to lie back down again.

“Don’t touch me…” Aubrey said in a very distressed tone as Doctor Whittaker moved her hand towards her. Aubrey hadn’t even acknowledged Stacie’s presence in the room as she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.

“Aubrey, sweetie, you need to lay back down again,” Doctor Whittaker sympathetically.

As Stacie got closer, she could see how much Aubrey was shaking.

“Leave me alone,” Aubrey murmured shakily.

Doctor Whittaker sighed as she turned her attention to Stacie as Mattilda came in. “I’ve tried. I’ve even got two of our other Doctors to try. But she won’t let anyone touch her.”

Stacie nodded in understanding, turning away from Doctor Whittaker. “Bree…” she said once again, perching on the side of Aubrey’s bed, facing her. Aubrey still wasn’t looking at her.

She sighed, gently placing her hand on Aubrey’s leg.

Aubrey flinched slightly, but didn’t cry out like she had done with the Doctor.

“Bree, I’m here. It’s just me, Doctor Whittaker and my mom. No one else.”

Aubrey shook her head very gently, almost noticeably; 

“Can I try something?” Stacie asked Doctor Whittaker, biting her lip, feeling super guilty about talking about Bree like she wasn’t in the room.

“Please, anything to calm her down.”

Stacie sighed reluctantly, not sure if her next move was a good idea. She slid off the bed and sat by the bedhead, gently opening up her legs and placing them either side of Aubrey who was facing away from her.

She gently wrapped her arms around Aubrey from behind, cautiously making sure not to further damage her broken rib. Bree didn’t flinch this time, although she could feel her violently shaking between her arms.

“Stace?” she whispered, like she hadn’t believed that Stacie was there before that.

“I’m here,” she said in a quiet voice. “Just lean back. Please, please try to relax your body a little more… doesn’t it hurt sitting up?”

Aubrey shrugged very gently, wincing as she did from the pain from her injuries.

Stacie gently kissed the back of Aubrey’s head, having seen that the Doctor was scribbling down notes, feeling Aubrey melt into her arms.

Stacie sighed deeply as she felt how fragile Aubrey was. She could feel her shaking. She screwed up her eyes, trying hard not to cry. Stacie knew all it took was once glance behind her and Aubrey would know just how much it was breaking her.

She wrapped her arms slightly further around Aubrey. She could feel her struggling to breathe.

“What was going on?” she asked after a minute of sitting still.

Aubrey sat in silence, not saying anything, but turning her head slightly towards the Doctor.

“Could we have a minute?” Stacie asked.

“Of course,” Doctor Whittaker said, picking up her clipboard and leaving the room along with Stacie's mother. “Pull the cord if you need anything.”

“If you want to say anything at all, I’m here,” Stacie said gently.

Aubrey winced as she took a sharp breath in. “Every time I close my eyes, or fall asleep, or lie alone…” she started, “it’s just replaying in my mind. Over and over again. What he did to me just now, what he’s done to me in the past: he did some pretty awful shit the other day, but he’s done stuff in the past as well. Not this bad, but not far off. And… some of it’s made me feel worse than this. This, this hurts… this hurts so much. But, everything else he’s done to me keeps replaying as well. Everything at the same time. I can't focus on anything. I can't hear myself think, and I can't block it out.”

Stacie rubbed small circles on her hip, trying to soothe Aubrey as she held her closer.

“But this… being brutally attacked by my own father… it didn’t feel as bad as this before, at least I could get out of my bed then…”

Stacie held Aubrey closer still as she rested her lips on the side of her forehead, unsure of what to say, not entirely sure that Aubrey had finished.

“I just don’t know how I’m going to move on from this. I don’t want anyone to even touch me. If my own father’s left me unable to get out of bed, how do I know no one else’s going to do the same thing?”

“Sweetheart… I will never, EVER hurt you. Not ever. I PROMISE.”

“I know,” Aubrey murmured. “This isn’t fair though. On you.”

“Bree, you’re my girlfriend. The person I love more than anyone else alive. I’ve already failed enough at keeping you safe. You shouldn’t be here. That’s what’s not fair. Whatever comes next, we’ll deal with it together. I promise I’m gonna be by your side for all of it. And there’s certainly no way I’m gonna let anyone hurt you again. You got it Bree? From now on, I will literally be here to stop anyone who tries to hurt you. I love you. We’re gonna take this one step at a time.”

Aubrey blinked, letting the fresh tears roll down her face. “You promise you’ll stay?”

Stacie sighed, knowing she couldn’t stay the night. “My mum’s got shift tonight. It finishes at midnight. I’ll make them let me stay with you until then. And I’ll get a cab tomorrow because Chloe isn’t coming til eleven.”

Aubrey sat in silence for a few moments more. “Thank you,” she said after a little while.

“What are you thanking me for?” Stacie asked. “There’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather be right now than with you between my arms. We’re gonna get through this Bree. Together. I promise.”


	10. Chapter 10

“Bree, please… just eat something…” Stacie pleaded.

Aubrey shook her head.

“Please Bree… there’s no way they’re gonna let you come home if you’re not eating…”

Stacie sighed as Aubrey refused to look at her. Kem had said that Aubrey was allowed to go home with Stacie and Mattilda once she’d been discharged, assuming that the bed got there in one piece, but Stacie knew there was no way she’d be let out if she was refusing to eat. Doctor Whittaker had been trying to get her to meet all morning, as of yet unsuccessfully.

Stacie was sitting by Aubrey’s bed, trying to convince her to eat SOMETHING.

“What do you want Bree? I’ll find it. I’ll go to the shops, buy it, cook it at home and bring it back here if it’ll mean you’ll eat. Please, Aubrey,” she said, her face creasing up even more. “You haven’t eaten since Wednesday. That’s four days. We’ve you got to get you through this…”

“Stace, I CAN’T,” Aubrey said firmly but shakily, finally turning her head round to look at Stacie, looking at her firmly in the eyes.

Stacie sighed, pinching her eyes through the bridge of her nose. “...please. Aubrey. Just SOMETHING…”

 

Aubrey met Stacie’s eyes, looking pleadingly into them.

“Okay…” Stacie said, understanding that she wasn’t going to get Aubrey to eat, as a young nurse came in.

“It’s time for your injection sweetie,” the nurse said as she took Aubrey’s arm and cleaned with a wipe.

Aubrey frowned at Stacie as Stacie smiled, knowing Aubrey was annoyed by the ‘special treatment’.

The nurse injected Aubrey, Aubrey squeezing Stacie’s hand tightly as the needle went in.

“Oh, shit,” the nurse murmured under her breath as the took the needle out. “Shit shit shit shit shit,” she whispered even more quietly.

“What’s happening?” Stacie asked worriedly, putting her other hand around Aubrey’s sensing the girl’s panic.

“No… I’m so sorry…”

“What’s going on?” Stacie asked, urgency surging through her voice.

“The needle wasn’t sharp enough - the vein’s collapsed - I’m so sorry...”

“I'm sorry, WHAT?” Stacie asked, anger really beginning to take over her whole body. “Do you KNOW what Aubrey’s gone through? What she’s going through? And now… now you’re telling me that YOU’VE done something that’s making her feel even MORE pain than she did already does?”

“I’m really sorry-” the nurse started before Stacie interrupted her again as Aubrey sat there, mortified.

“How long have you been working here?” Stacie asked defensively as Aubrey shook her head with despair.

“Oh… just a couple of weeks, I’m still doing my training-”

“And they’re letting you put Aubrey in a painful situation? How’s this gonna help her trust anyone who tries to help her?”

“I’m so sorry-”

“No. No. Aubrey’s been through ENOUGH. Do you know how much pain she’s in? And that - that injection was meant to help her with it, not make worse…”

“Stacie, stop,” Aubrey whispered.

“Bree, this isn’t okay. I promised I wasn’t gonna let anyone else hurt you, and here we are.”

“Stace, I promise, it doesn’t matter,” Bree whispered urgently, mortified from Stacie bringing so much attention to it, glaring at her as the nurse dealt with her arm.

“Bree…”

“No. Please.”

Stacie sighed as she sat back down. She obviously wasn’t going to win this one.

She got out her phone to check her messages. A few minutes later, once the nurse had sorted out Aubrey’s arm, there was a knock on the door. “Bree, it’s me,” Stacie heard their redhead friend say before she came through the door.

“Chloe!” Aubrey exclaimed as Chloe stood by her bed.

“Can I hug her?” Chloe asked.

“Sur-”

“Careful,” Stacie interrupted. “Don’t make any of her injuries worse. You’ve gotta be careful.”

“Stacie, chill,” Aubrey said, glaring at her girlfriend.

“Well, excuse me for trying to stop my girlfriend getting hurt, AGAIN,” Stacie said putting her hands up, her phone still in one, leaning back slightly.

“Chloe!” Aubrey said, slowly putting up her arms as the other girl gently embraced her.

“I’ve got some Friends downloaded on my phone,” Chloe said, taking it out. “And celery.”

Aubrey’s eyes widened. “Really? You brought some?”

Chloe nodded as Stacie stood up. “I’m gonna leave you two to it,” she said leaving the room, not looking back.

“Stace…” Aubrey called out behind her.

Stacie stopped for a second, before carrying on walking.

She got outside the room before abruptly stopping as Aubrey called out her name again, ignoring her as she stormed to the bathroom a few corridors down.

She slammed the cubicle door shut behind her, unsure HERSELF who she was trying to impress, leaning against it and sliding down so she was sitting on the floor, knees hunched up to her chest as she put her head in her hands and started to cry. She didn't know how to go back there, or what to do.

________________  
Chloe 2.28pm  
COME RIGHT BACK HERE STACIE CONRAD, YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS BESIDE HERSELF WITH TEARS  
________________

This led Stacie to cry more, putting her arms around her shins and burying her face in her knees, trying to work out how to get back there and face up to what she's done.

________________  
Chloe, 2.31pm  
Don't you DARE LEAVE ME ON READ Stacie. Not whilst your GIRLFRIEND, your SERIOUSLY INJURED GIRLFRIEND IS MAKING HER CHEST PAINS WORSE FROM THE AMOUNT SHE IS CRYING. No matter who did or said what, you have a duty of CARE Stacie. HOW IS SHE MEANT TO TRUST THAT YOU'LL BE THERE FOR HER? THAT YOU WON'T HURT HER OR LEAVE HER? Cos YOU'RE the only one she trusts. Or at least you WERE. YOU'D BETTER GET BACK HERE, RIGHT NOW AND SORT THIS OUT BEFORE SHE LITERALLY DOESN'T TRUST ANYBODY.  
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Stacie groans into her knees, so angry with herself. SHE had been the one who had been banging on about trust, yet here she was, breaking Aubrey's.

She slowly stood up, unbolting the toilet door and walking, her pace picking up bit by bit until she was running, reaching Aubrey's room a few minutes later.

She slowly pushed the door open, seeing her girlfriend sat up against the bed, sobbing excessively, next to a very angry Chloe. Stacie cautiously walked back towards her.

“Stace, I can’t do this if we aren’t okay,” Aubrey said between sobs.

At that point, Stacie mentally kicked herself, again. What the hell was she doing? She couldn’t just walk out, even if it was just for a second. She needed Aubrey to trust her, and to know that she wasn’t going to abandon or betray her, even though that’s not what she was going to do.

“I never should’ve called the nurse out like that. It’s just that she had no right to cause you any more pain…”

“Stace. Please. I know why you did it. Thank you. For looking out for me I mean. I would’ve done the same for you. I’m sorry I got so defensive.”

“Please don’t apologise,” Stacie said earnestly, perching on the edge of Aubrey’s bed as Aubrey’s hand found hers. “It was me. I NEVER should have stormed out, and I regret it a LOT.”

Aubrey gently brought up her hand, trying to carefully move some of Stacie’s tears off her face with her thumb. “I know”.

“I won’t walk out like that again. But just so you know though… I wouldn’t ever properly walk out…”

“I know,” Aubrey said again, weak with pain.

“Your arm still hurts?” Stacie asked, gently rubbing Aubrey’s hand.

Aubrey nodded as Chloe sighed reluctantly, trying to forgive Stacie, since Aubrey clearly had.

“I could leave you two to watch Friends for a bit…” Stacie suggested, starting to stand up.

“No,” Aubrey said abruptly, squeezing Stacie’s hand and pulling her gently towards her. “Stay.”

Stacie nodded as Aubrey, with effort, shuffled along the bed slightly, putting her hand down on the space next to her, looking at her girlfriend.

Stacie nodded, lifting up the bedsheet and getting under the cover, sitting next to her girlfriend.

She was being careful so as not to overstep her boundaries as she thought Aubrey would still probably be mad at her.

Aubrey, who knew her girlfriend well by now, wasn't having any of it, so wrapping her arms around Stacie’s middle, pulled towards her.

“Tell me if I’m hurting you,” Stacie said, leaning on the propped up bed as Aubrey leaned into her, Stacie putting two arms around her as Chloe got out her phone and put it on Stacie’s lap.

“By the way, I got her to eat,” Chloe whispered to Stacie.

“You did?”

Chloe nodded.

“Thank you,” Stacie whispered as she flashed her a truly thankful smile.


End file.
